Ken Blackwell’s Advice for John McCain
Published July 17th, 2008 @ 8:35 am. Tags: john mccain, ken blackwellRepublican John McCain can’t win the black vote in this year’s presidential election, but he can make inroads by laying out an honest vision of his presidency, a prominent black conservative argues.
Ken Blackwell, Ohio’s former treasurer and secretary of state, says McCain’s strength lies in adhering to an authentic message without worrying about vote counting.
“He should leave the numbers to the mathematicians and the strategists,” Blackwell said Wednesday in an interview. “They should let McCain be McCain.”
It’s the same argument Blackwell, now a conservative columnist and commentator, laid out in an article timed to preview McCain’s speech Wednesday to the NAACP’s national meeting in Cincinnati.
Democrat Barack Obama, who would be the country’s first black president if elected in November, addressed the same group Monday.
“Although Mr. McCain cannot win the African-American vote in this election, he can get a respectable percentage,” Blackwell wrote in his column for the New York Sun.
Also make sure to listen to Ken’s interview about this subject with some NPR liberal reporter here.
If you are a Republican and haven’t watched McCain’s speech at the NAACP please don’t, as he esentially endorses his opponent!
It was practically an endorsement of Obama. It was disapointing.
I think McCain needs to stop trying to pander to Blacks or Latinos and get on with the business of setting out his plan for Iraq. It will show strength while Obama keeps bumbling back and forth.
Although McCain leans further left than I would personally like, I believe that he’ll provide better wisdom on war issues than we’ve had during the previous 7 years.
The worst of Iraq may appear to be behind us, but that’s misleading I think..
I think it’s going to get more complex as we balance troop withdrawal while keeping a hammer held over Iran’s head. We absolutely cannot just vacate the entire area.
Obama has tried several times to acknowledge this fact - and keeps getting hammered by his base over it. But fact is fact. You cannot just abandon the region in any sense of the word.
There’s just no getting around the fact that had McCain’s suggestion been followed years earlier - there would have been fewer casualties and I think we would have been much further along
I disagree with McCain on a great many things, however foreign policy prowess is going to be absolutely critical over the next 4 years in comparison to everything else. IMHO.
I think foreign policy will consume most of the next president’s term, regardless of who is in the White House. And for that, nothing matters more to me than foreign policy capability.
Danny Vice
http://www.theweeklyvice.com
What difference does it make what McCain said at that convention. He’s going nowhere with those people. Let’s be honest. Race trumps everything with blacks (unless you are a black Republican, which means you’re considered to be white), and they maintain the most racist culture in the world.
If you read the numbers from Rasmussen and other polls, it appears that as many as 40-50% of Black REPUBLICANS will end up voting for Obama. What does that tell you?
Dear straightarrow,
It’s funny to read and listen to what Whites think Blacks will do or how they will vote regardless of their political preferences. It’s interesting because most Black people are friends or has contact with people of all races and political convictions. Most Black people, regardless if they are a Republican or Democrat can gain a good sense of who the other person is voting for without asking the question or even pondering over it. Just by listening and observation.
I’m a Black Man, but I do not and can not speak for all Black people. But what many Blacks can relate to regardless of status, fortune, education or wealth is a piece of advice that was offered to them when they are coming of age or will soon realize as they come of age. “When you walk into any place where you are the only Black person, the whole race walks in with you”.
This means that you are looked at as “The Black Person” and often things are assumed about you that may or may not even be true. (ie. the previous comments) This is true among Black Republicans too. Often things that are assumed about Black Republicans from everyone included Black people that may or may not be true. (ie. “unless you are a black Republican, which means you’re considered to be white”).
Making comments that Black people are only voting for Barack because of his race is a big mistake and warn that you not to continually say that out loud or to “Your Black Friend”. It’s like Black people suggesting that you are voting or voted for a candidate because he or she is White. I’m sure you wouldn’t admit to doing something like that. We’re “color blind” right?
Should I vote as a Republican or as a Black person? Or vote neither as a Republican or African-American. Is it about race or is it about party affiliation? Or is it about voting for who I believe is the best person.
What I believe that many White Republicans and Democrats are missing when it comes to Black people voting for or against Barack Obama is this. Many Black people regardless of Party clearly understand the negative racial history of this country towards them. When they go into the voting booth, they go in with a history that many White Republicans and Democrats did not have to fight and die for. Many Black Republicans and Democrats continue to fight against the negative assumptions against them.
Black Republicans will vote for whomever they deemed best suitable for the office. I believe they are smart enough to do what they know is right. So leave them alone.
You may vote for John McCain because he’s a Republican, no one is questioning you. A White Woman may have voted for Hillary Clinton because she’s a White Woman, no one is question that. But a Black person regardless if they are Democrat or Republican voting for Obama, everyone has something to say.
I guess it really is true, when I walk into a place and I’m the only one my whole race walks in with me.
I’m sure someone will have something to say, but I wanted to point out a few things I found interesting about the previous comments.